A quick guide to Grayson Day 2016

Tomorrow morning Grayson will kick off its 37th annual Grayson Day celebration, and city officials are promising this year will be the biggest and best yet. Assuming the weather holds, here’s a quick run down of what you need to know about the city-wide shindig:

Runners, To Your Marks: the day begins with the Grayson Day Road Race, which features a 1-mile fun walk/run, as well as a 5K race inside the city. Racers will pound pavement starting at 7:30 AM for the fun run and 8:00 AM for the 5K.

The Big Parade: the parade begins at 10:00 AM, and this year’s theme is “Simply the Best.” Grayson is home to many of Gwinnett County’s “2016 Best of Gwinnett” award winners, and the parade will feature several of our award-winning community organizations. TRAFFIC ALERT: Grayson Parkway (Hwy. 84) will be closed between Bennett Road and Highway 20 from 9:45 AM until 11:00 AM for the parade.

Stuff Yourself Silly: after the parade you need to hit the park for the day. You can stroll through Grayson Park and stuff yourself on food, fun, and family memories. There will be plenty of FREE kids activities (including Trackless Train, Pony Rides, Petting Zoo, Inflatable Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course and Space Ball), and live entertainment at the Pavilion until around noon. DJ Mike will be spinning dance and party music throughout the afternoon. Hours for the festival are 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

A Jazzed Up Ending: after the festival closes, clean up crews will tidy things up and then everyone is invited back for an evening under the stars that begins with Lanier Jazz in the Big Pavilion at 7:00 PM. Bring your lawn chairs and your dinner and enjoy the early evening while the little ones play on the swings and the slides! It’s a great transition into the Grayson Day nightcap, a showing of Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur on the Park Green.

I’ll be around taking pictures, so be sure to stop and pose! See you tomorrow!

Jason Brooks is the owner and editor of Grayson Local. A resident of Grayson for over 14 years, he loves the Grayson community and the potential it holds. A former pastor, Jason now works as a freelance writer. He has written for The John Maxwell Company, North Point Ministries, The Ford Motor Company, Catalyst, and several regional magazines as well. You can follow Jason on Twitter (@JasonMuses).

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